have until 1:00 which is the time it starts, so let's start with one more round of applause to our excellent speaker today, beth. [applause] thank you. >> thank you, john. >> and will someone take the first step? [laughter] well, if not, i will ask the first question, and then i expect others to come up and follow. i have an easy question. what was it like to be on the jon stewart show? [laughter] what kind of preparation did you do mentally before you took that first step? thank you. >> well, you know, it's funny because, um, my -- the publicist at my publisher's landed this gig, and i didn't know it until one evening when i got back to my house in virginia having been up here in washington picking up my son who's a college student at american university, bringing him back home for the christmas holidays. and when i got back, there were six telephone messages, 20 e-mails, where are you? you've been booked on thestewart show, we want to make your travel arrangements. and, you know, naturally, my son being 21 is a prime jon stewart fan, and i sat him down, and i said, i know you are not going